Still Kickin'

Summer has been a lot of fun! It would've been even more fun without the homework and essays, but two more classes down!

I start classes next Monday. I will be going to school like all the rest of the little kiddos in Austin. From 8a until 2:30p, no break! I think I'll have to stash a bunch of snacks in my bag so I don't waste away to nothing.

I'm going to Atlanta for Labor Day and am so excited. I miss GA and my family and my friends and with the time that I have now, traveling to GA so much this year has made me really happy. I don't think moving back is an option right now as I love Austin, but who knows what the future brings. Don't get too excited Mom, i'm not moving back.

Last week I went camping with Tam and Scout to Inks State Park. Sweet Scout is the cutest dog ever and loved the water and swimming. Then she loved to go roll around in the dirt making a nice muddy pasty substance that was all over her. Fortunately, she'd bound back into the lake and I was able to rinse her off a bit. She really loved chasing the ducks.

Today

I had government class this morning. I have a project due next Tuesday and have to get up in front of the class to present it. I'm already nervous. After class I went to the pet store to get some stuff. I picked up some puppy food for "Wiggles" (Scout) and when I took it over to the house we hung out outside for a bit. I wandered around the pond and when Scout was having a drink



I looked closely I saw this...

What is it you ask? Lilly leaves? Nope, it's under the water. There is a huge cluster of tadpole eggs! Just waiting to make lots of noise and probably some will end up being turtle food.


Then, when Scout looked closer...

She saw this...


I think she wanted to play with the tiny orange koi, but her puppy A.D.D distracted her away.

Late to Class Rant

So I make it a habit to get to class about 10-15 minutes before it's supposed to start. It's a job of sorts for me. You show up on time, so that when class is supposed to start, you're ready. Books, binders, pencil and paper for note taking. The normal, well, seemingly normal process. Last night I arrived to class early, as always. At 4:55p my teacher had started talking. There were a few people missing from class, but I have come to realize I am the exception by showing up early. Well, one guy walks in about 5 minutes late. No big deal, asks what he's missed. Which floored me. Was the professor really going to stop class to tell this kid what he had missed in the five minutes that he decided he couldn't show up on time?! So the prof kind of ignores the question and moves on with the lecture. Then, almost 30-40 minutes later this chick walks in. She sits down, apologizes and asks what she missed. I wanted to go smack her on the side of the head. The part that gets me is that she's not some kid fresh out of high school. She looks to be in her late 30's. She works in some spinal implant company or something. She was talking about it on the first day of class. You'd think she'd realize you can't show up 40 minutes late to class and expect the professor to stop teaching all of us who got there on time to catch her up. I was grateful that I am not the person that thinks the world revolves around me.

Yes, I realize something may have happened. She may have been in an accident or had kid issues or fallen off a bridge and had to swim to safety before the current swept her away...but, really? Stop the entire class for you?

It drove me a little bit crazy...

Other than that things are going pretty well at school.

Paper

My english class starts this week. I found out today that I have an essay due on Sunday. I have four categories to pick a topic from. All I can do is sit here and stare at the computer. I'd rather not write about any of them.....

1) diets or exercise
2) other genders, races, or sexual preferences
3) technology, such as computers, cell phones, online college classes, the internet
4) money management (debt, credit, etc.)

Maybe I could write 500 words about the internet. It is, after all, more important that oxygen.

Only 3 More Classes...and I'm Sad???

I can't remember any time of my life that I didn't want my class to end. I suppose that means that i'm doing something that I enjoy. My brain is soaking up all of this information and i'm going to try to hold onto it tightly before I start my intermediate CAD classes in the Fall. I'm traveling too much the 2nd half of the summer and don't want to miss any classes, so i'll be taking an online English class. YAY! I think that will be a class I won't be sad to see end.

I turned in my mechanical assembly project (25% of my final grade) and only got a 92. It was disappointing, but i'm hoping my architecture project that I turned in today will be better. I spent tons of time checking and re-checking lines, dimensions, outlets, switches, etc. I was confident when I turned it in. I find out my grade next Thursday. One more week to wait. Oh, and I have already done all the projects that we're supposed to do next week. So I will be finding things to do next week for classes. I'd rather be ahead than trying to catch up. It's a nice feeling.

School Update

I love my class. I never in a million years thought that I would be using those words to describe school. My instructor is great, my classmates are ok. There are two really annoying girls that sit in front of me that look online on Ebay for things during class. Slackers....

I turned in my mechanical assembly project on Friday. It is worth 25% of my final grade. I start on my architectural log cabin drawings on Monday. I can't wait! That is also worth 25% of my final grade. The other 50% is from all of the drawings that we do in class that have been graded. Out of my last 5, I think I had 3 100s!!! He gives us a final proof to look at and check our work against before we turn ours in, but I guess some people don't pay that much attention to it. I've also done two extra projects that have each gotten me a +1 on my final grade. So things are going really well. I'm sad that there are only 7 more classes left. These last 5.5 weeks have flown by.

BUT, that means that I get to see my friends in Kentucky in less than TWO WEEKS!!! Which is super exciting. They have a 4th of July Pool Party every year and I haven't been able to go for the last few years. But, this year, I am fortunate enough to be able to fly up there.

Drafting

I started school on Tuesday. I am taking a technical drafting class. I have a protractor, special drafting pencil, an engineer's scale, some triangles and a drafting table at school. It is the coolest thing EVER! My homework this weekend is "lettering". I have to write the alphabet 3 times in 3 different sizes. It's the special drafting letters. I definitely could do that!

I had fast pitch softball practice this morning and am about to go for a bike ride. It's 97 degrees outside and i'm pretty certain there isn't a cloud in the sky. I don't mind being hot when i'm prepared for it.

Student Life

I am registered for Summer classes! On my way and so excited to be starting all of this.